{"id":129483,"date":"2026-07-16T18:50:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T13:50:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/?p=129483"},"modified":"2026-07-16T18:51:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T13:51:10","slug":"pakistan-urges-us-iran-to-end-violence-resume-technical-level-talks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/129483\/","title":{"rendered":"Pakistan urges US, Iran to ‘end violence’, resume technical-level talks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Web desk(National Times)- The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday urged the United States and Iran to \u201cend violence\u201d and resume technical-level talks, while noting that the Pakistan-mediated interim peace deal was \u201cfacing challenges\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing a weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi noted that the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed between the US and Iran last month was \u201cfacing challenges\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He affirmed that \u201cPakistan will continue to encourage all sides to end violence and resume technical-level talks in accordance\u201d with the MoU and the joint statement<\/a> issued by mediators Pakistan and Qatar on June 20 following the direct talks in Switzerland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe hope all parties will remain committed to the path of dialogue and diplomacy in resolving their outstanding issues,\u201d Andrabi added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remarks come as the warring parties continued to trade attacks<\/a> on Thursday, with the US hitting Iran\u2019s coastal defences and missile sites and Iran retaliating by targeting American military sites in neighbouring Gulf countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs hostilities have continued over the past week, Pakistan reiterates its call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any actions that would further undermine peace and stability,\u201d Andrabi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPakistan firmly believes that there is no alternative to sustained engagement, dialogue and diplomacy in pursuit of the shared objectives of lasting peace, stability and progress,\u201d he affirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FO spokesperson stressed that ultimately, \u201call conflicts and disputes are resolved through dialogue at the negotiation table\u201d. He highlighted that the Islamabad MoU remained an \u201cenduring framework for promoting peace, mutual respect and shared prosperity\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FO spokesperson also underscored the \u201cimportance of ensuring the continued safety, security and freedom of maritime navigation\u201d in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany countries, particularly those in the Global South, are being adversely affected by the situation in the Strait of Hormuz,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPakistan recognises the urgent need to address the impact of the current situation on global energy supplies and other economic commodities, including trade and food security,\u201d Andrabi said, expressing the hope for \u201can early normalisation\u201d of the situation in the key waterway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hostilities have intensified since Iran said on Sunday it had closed the Strait of Hormuz<\/a>, with the US also reimposing<\/a> its naval blockade of Iranian ports in response. Military operations are also keeping ships from transiting the vital artery, which carried about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments before the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That has sent global oil prices soaring and led to concerns of spikes in inflation even in nations far from the conflict. Pakistan on July 10 raised<\/a> the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel by over Rs13. On Tuesday, global oil prices reached a four-week high<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Islamabad \u2018actively engaged\u2019 in peace efforts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Addressing the media, Andrabi said Islamabad has \u201cremained actively engaged with key interlocutors across the region in support of our efforts in de-escalation, dialogue and peaceful resolution of the situation\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He recalled Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s telephone call<\/a> with the Qatari emir on July 10, during which the two leaders agreed upon the importance of sustained diplomatic engagement and dialogue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FO spokesman also mentioned PM Shehbaz\u2019s call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian the same day, in which he called<\/a> on all parties not to \u201cjeopardise the hard-earned peace gains\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrabi also highlighted Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar\u2019s efforts for regional peace, including his recent calls with his Saudi<\/a> and Iranian counterparts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The renewed fighting since July 8<\/a> has cast further doubt on the future of \u200bthe Islamabad MoU<\/a> agreement signed<\/u><\/a> on June 18 that aimed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war after a further 60 days of negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, US President Donald Trump said he considers the ceasefire over<\/u><\/a>, while leaving the door open to more talks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The war has again brought Gulf countries into the conflict, with Iran targeting US bases and military sites in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait. Monday marked the heaviest attacks<\/a> since the initial April 8 ceasefire<\/a> reached between Tehran and Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The war that began with US and Israeli strikes against Iran<\/u><\/a> on February 28 \u2060has destabilised the Gulf, while Iran\u2019s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has driven energy prices higher, fuelling global inflation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Grooming gang ringleader\u2019s case \u2018internal matter\u2019 of UK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Separately, the FO spokesperson said Pakistan had \u201cno connection\u201d with the case of Shabbir Ahmed<\/a>, a child grooming gang\u2019s ringleader in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahmed held dual British-Pakistani citizenship before being stripped of the former following his 2012 conviction<\/a> for multiple counts of child sexual offences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked for confirmation of reports<\/a> that the UK had approached Pakistan for Ahmed\u2019s deportation, Andrabi termed the case \u201centirely an internal matter\u201d of Britain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe individual concerned is a British national who spent his entire adult life in the UK and was duly convicted by a British court for reprehensible offences committed on British soil,\u201d the official pointed out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny decisions regarding his release, supervision or future legal status fall exclusively within the jurisdiction of the competent British authorities and must be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the UK,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spokesperson said Pakistan \u201ccannot be associated with any decisions relating to the individual\u2019s release or subsequent treatment under British law\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrabi said Pakistan condemned the incident of child sexual abuse in the strongest possible terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPerpetrators of such heinous crimes must be investigated, prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law, irrespective of race, ethnicity or religion,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRegardless of where he was born, the onus lies on where he grew up, was raised, groomed and unfortunately spoiled. His heinous crimes demand serious introspection rather than a quest to search for extraneous causes.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Web desk(National Times)- The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday urged the United States and Iran to \u201cend violence\u201d and resume technical-level talks, while noting that the Pakistan-mediated interim peace deal was \u201cfacing challenges\u201d. Addressing a weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi noted that the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed between the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":129484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-129483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\nPakistan urges US, Iran to 'end violence', resume technical-level talks - Nation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nationaltimes.pk\/eng\/2026\/129483\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pakistan urges US, Iran to 'end violence', resume technical-level talks - Nation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Web desk(National Times)- The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday urged the United States and Iran to \u201cend violence\u201d and resume technical-level talks, while noting that the Pakistan-mediated interim peace deal was \u201cfacing challenges\u201d. 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